


Amare L'amore

by theguineapig3



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Emotional Baggage, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Shared Commitment Issues, alcohol mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28429971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theguineapig3/pseuds/theguineapig3
Summary: Raven loved Judith. He loved that he loved Judith. He loved love. He was also outrageously drunk, which was the ONLY reason he was bawling at his friends’ wedding reception. It wasn't because of some deep-seated insecurity surrounding love and commitment. Honest.
Relationships: Judith/Raven (Tales of Vesperia), minor Boccos/Adecor, minor Flynn Scifo/Yuri Lowell
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Amare L'amore

**Author's Note:**

> In the epilogue of Axis Mundi, Karol mentions that after Flynn and Yuri's wedding, Raven got drunk, cried a lot, and had to be carried to bed by Judith. So here's the fic of Raven getting drunk(?), crying a lot, and getting carried to bed by Judith. Have fun.

“E-excuse me, can I have everybody’s attention, please? Excu- um, hey- excuse-! Everybody! Hey-!”

Raven looked up from his half-emptied champagne flute when he heard Karol’s voice, barely audible amidst the clamor. Karol had climbed up onto the side of the fountain for the extra height- not that it was needed, given that the boy’s most recent growth spurt had sent him towering over the rest of his guild members- but his pubescent voice was still unsteady, and the number of embarrassing cracks in his earlier ‘Best Man’ speech probably still had him feeling self conscious. Raven shook his head, overcome by a rush of affection and pity, and shoved his glass into the hands of Leblanc beside him before calling out to the crowd.

“ _ ATTEN-SHUN!” _

It was enough to silence all the knights in the crowd, and that made the civilians among them take pause as well. The crowd was well-mixed, between residents of the Lower Quarter where the ceremony had been held, members and friends of Brave Vesperia, and Flynn’s knight colleagues, but once Karol started speaking again, they all went quiet.

“So, uh, I know it's getting late and people are starting to leave, but I just realized we never did the bouquet toss. Since I’m in charge of events, I figured… uh… we should do that while everyone’s still here…”

“Hell yeah!” Raven cheered, snatching his glass back and lifting it up. “Yuri, listen ta the kid and grab those flowers, will ya?!”

Yuri was across the courtyard and had stepped behind Flynn as if trying to hide. “I was hoping you’d forget,” he shot back, peeking over Flynn’s shoulder. “They’re  _ my  _ flowers, dammit!”

Flynn laughed and shifted to place his arm around Yuri’s shoulders. “Come on, you're married now. Give someone else a chance.”

Raven fought a laugh of his own as he watched Yuri elbow Flynn in the stomach while Repede ran to retrieve the bouquet. The crowd was starting to chant, and Yuri sighed in resignation. Most of the people around Raven were clamoring to get closer, so he stepped to the side to let them pass. Leblanc nudged his arm, nodding toward Yuri and Flynn.

“Aren’t you going to try to catch it too?”

“Nah,” Raven scoffed. “I figure it’s best ta let the young’ns have a shot. I’ve found love already, an’ some people out here still need a little extra encouragement.”

“That’s true, I suppose,” Leblanc answered with a shake of his head. “As for me, I don’t even know who I’d marry if I did catch it. I don’t want to rush into anything.”

“...yanno it’s just a superstition, right? It doesn’t mean ya  _ have _ ta be the next ta get married-”

Shouting from the other side of the square cut him off, and he turned to look. Yuri had climbed the stairs to toss the bouquet to the group, but it seemed there wasn’t a consensus as to who had actually caught it.

“The victory is mine, I say! It was my hand that touched it first!”

“That’s only because you’re taller! You dropped it and I caught it in midair, so  _ I  _ won!”

“The winner in these sorts of games is always the one who touched it first. And that was me, I say!”

“No way! This was about  _ catching  _ the bouquet, and anyone can confirm it. Acknowledge my victory and perhaps I’ll share the prize with you.”

“I refuse to share the spoils awarded to the holder of Yuri Lowell’s bridal bouquet. The prize goes to  _ me,  _ I sa _ - _ ”

“Boys, boys-” Raven broke in between Adecor and Boccos, who were tugging back and forth on the bouquet. “-the two’a ya  _ do  _ know there ain’t a prize, right?”

“ _ No prize?! _ ” the two demanded, turning back toward Raven. Adecor let go and Boccos pulled the bouquet close to his chest. “What do you mean, no prize? Why were we all competing to catch it?”

“It’s an old superstition,” Leblanc replied, catching up. “Supposedly, whoever catches the bouquet at a wedding will be the next to marry.”

“ _ Marry _ ?!”

The two flinched and Boccos fumbled with the bouquet, almost dropping it. Raven could hear Yuri on the other side of the fountain, unable to contain his laughter.

“I say, perhaps we should try again… l-let someone else have a go,” Adecor stammered, motioning to the bouquet. Boccos held it out towards Raven, but Raven shook his head.

“Nope. No do-overs, boys. Whoever catches it gets married next. And since ya both caught it, that means the two’a ya will just have to marry  _ each other _ .”

That line sent Yuri into another laughing fit while Adecor and Boccos jumped back from one another.

“The two of us? I-I say, that is absurd! Truly absurd!”

“You heard him!” Boccos clutched the flowers in one hand and pointed with the other. “He says it’s absurd!”

There was a pause.

“... _ you _ say it's absurd too, don't you?” Adecor ventured. 

“Wh-?! O-of course!” Boccos snapped, his cheeks growing red. “If you say it’s absurd, I say it’s absurd!”

“I declared it absurd because I assumed you felt it was absurd, I say!”

“I  _ do  _ feel it's absurd if you feel it’s absurd-!”

As the argument continued, Raven put an arm around Leblanc and steered him back towards the fountain with a satisfied “I think our work here is done.”

Leblanc couldn't help a glance back at them. “You don't really think that one little comment will get through their years of denial, do you?”

“Who’s ta say? I figure they at least gotta  _ know  _ they’re in denial before they can get over it. And it sounded ta me like they were awful close.”

“I suppose if someone like Yuri Lowell can find love, it's possible for any of us.”

“ _ That’s Yuri Scifo now, Lieutenant~ _ ”

Leblanc had been so focused on looking behind him, he hadn't realized where Raven was taking him until he heard Yuri’s voice and snapped to attention.

“Wha-?! Yuri! I wasn't-! I-I mean, I didn't-! I was just-!”

“At ease, soldier,” Flynn interrupted, giving a dismissive wave with his hand that wasn't resting on Yuri’s waist. “I'll be the first to admit that Yuri can be difficult to handle. But I wouldn't want him any other way.”

Yuri pressed closer to Flynn’s side, turning towards him so the tips of their noses touched. “But you can handle me. When it comes to those two, I don't know if they can handle each other.”

“Nah, they'll be fine.” Raven replied, and gulped down the remaining contents of his drink before continuing with renewed enthusiasm. “Love conquers all! So long as they’ve got love on their side, they can face any obstacle- they've just gotta accept it. Ain't that how it is with the two’a you?”

Yuri frowned. “I, uh, would rather not compare us to those two, but-”

“LOVE is a BEAUTIFUL thing!” Raven interrupted, waving his empty glass around. “Yours is a love story YEARS in the makin’, and you’ve made a promise ta continue that beautiful story for the REST’A your LIVES. It’s m…magical…”

As he spoke the last word, he choked on a sob and wiped a tear away from one eye. Yuri snatched the glass from his hand, holding it up in front of his face.

“You smell like booze. How many of these have you had, old man?”

“That’s not important!” With both his hands now free, Raven threw his arms around Yuri and Flynn, letting himself cry openly. “Th’important thing is that’cha love each other! Your love is stronger than… than anything… and… and…” He sniffled, pressing his face against Flynn’s chest. “...I love you two so much… and I love love so much…”

“Raven, s-sir…?” Flynn stammered, and Leblanc inched closer in concern.

“Captain? Are you alright? Please calm down, everything’s okay-”

Yuri, meanwhile, was less understanding. He turned away from Raven to call across the courtyard instead.

“ _ JUDITH! COME GET YOUR MAN! _ ”

It didn’t take long for Judith to push her way through the crowd, followed closely by Karol and Repede. “Really, Yuri, he’s a grown man,” she scolded. “I’m not his babysitter.”

“Yeah, but you  _ are  _ his date. You bear some responsibility.”

Yuri shoved Raven into Judith’s arms, and he collapsed against her shoulder. “Judith darlin’...” he sighed, “...you're so pretty in that bridesmaid dress… you're so pretty in anything, but damn… I can't look directly at’cha tonight...”

The sequins on Judith’s dress sparkled in the dim light as she shifted her grip on Raven. “Dear, oh dear,” she replied with a scolding tone. “It seems he's broken.”

Leblanc cleared his throat. “He, erm, managed to sneak away to refill his glass many times this evening. I didn't see, so I lost count of how many drinks he had. He was acting perfectly normal up until just now, so I didn't think to cut him off… my apologies.”

Judith laughed and waved him off. “Don't talk like that. As Yuri said before, Raven is a grown man who needs no babysitter.”

“I may not need a babysitter…” Raven muttered, leaning into Judith’s shoulder and nuzzling against her neck. “...but I wouldn't mind  _ you  _ sittin’ on me, darlin’-”

“Uh, Yuri?” Karol interrupted, raising his hand and trying to keep his gaze away from Raven and Judith. “I just wanted to ask- Ted and some of the other kids invited me to go stargazing on the roof with them, so could I…?”

Even in heels, Yuri had to reach up to do it- but he gave Karol his usual affectionate pat on the head.

“You've performed your Best Man duties admirably, Captain Karol. You're excused for the night.”

Karol grinned, hugged Yuri first and then Flynn, and ran off toward a group of teenagers waving from further up the hill. Flynn waved back at them and then slung his arm back around Yuri's waist.

“If you'll excuse us from the conversation as well, we’re going to join Estellise and Rita on the dance floor. I’d like at least one more dance with my new bride before the music stops.”

Leblanc saluted in Flynn’s direction. “C-congratulations again, sir! And, uh, you too, Yuri Lo-  _ er _ , Yuri Scifo. I am very happy for you both.”

Yuri waved as Flynn led him back to the dance floor. “Just remember that cordiality next time you try to arrest me, okay?”

Raven, meanwhile, took an unsteady step away from Judith so that he could tug on her arm. “C’mon, darlin’. We oughta dance too-”

Judith shook her head, tugging him back. “I think you've got two left feet at the moment. It's past your bedtime, after all.”

“Aww, but I ain’t sleepy!” Raven dug his heels in. “I just… I just wanna be around the love for a little longer. This atmosphere, the feeling of a lifelong promise, it's… it’s…” His eyes filled with tears again, and he let go of Judith’s arm to wipe his cheeks. She closed the space between them, reaching for his face to wipe away the tears herself. It caught him off-guard, and she used his momentary confusion to scoop him up in her arms. It seemed to trigger some deeper emotion in him, and he began to sob against her shoulder. “...they love each other… so damn much… I love ‘em so damn much… I love  _ you  _ so damn much…”

“Yes, yes. Let’s get you to bed before you make any more of a fool of yourself.” Judith looked to Leblanc with a nod. “I'll take care of him from here on out. Thanks for accompanying him while I was away.”

Leblanc saluted. “I-it was my pleasure, Miss Judith!”

Meanwhile, Raven watched Leblanc’s reply and reached out towards him before Judith could start back toward the inn. “I looooove you, Leblanc,” he slurred, and Leblanc responded with a gentle smile.

“I love you too, Captain.”

The room reserved for Brave Vesperia was at the end of the hall, and Judith escorted Raven back in, carrying him to the far bed where some of their belongings were already placed. She sat him down on the side of the bed and began untying his shoes before he waved her off.

“I got it, I got it. I'm drunk, I ain’t helpless.”

Judith looked up at him for a moment, considering his statement, and finally nodded.

“At least let me take your coat from you,” she said as she stood up, her hands moving to his shoulders. “It smells like you've spilled alcohol all down your shirt. You know  _ you're  _ the one on laundry duty this week, right?”

“Ya think I would’a been so clumsy if the cleanup was fallin' on anybody else's shoulders? You know me better’n that, darlin’.” Raven pulled his right shoe off and lobbed it across the room, where it hit the side of the wall and bounced into the wastepaper basket. Judith watched it go and applauded.

“Three points off the backboard,” she chimed. “Now go get it.”

“I'll get it in the morning.”

“When you're hung over? I don't think so. You'll get it now.”

Raven slipped off his other shoe and held it under one arm as he hobbled across the room to retrieve his projectile. “Yanno, for someone who claims she ain't my babysitter, you're orderin’ me around somethin’ fierce. What happened ta me bein’ a grown man who can take care of himself-?” 

He looked up and stopped mid-speech. Judith had unbuttoned the back of her dress and allowed the shiny fabric to fall and pool around her ankles. She glanced back and smiled, seeing Raven mesmerized by the curves of her body.

“Like what you see?” Judith teased, bending seductively to retrieve her dress from the floor. As she stood up straight again, she could see tears returning to Raven’s eyes.

“...you're so beautiful.  _ God,  _ you're so beautiful. I love you so much…” His voice cracked as he spoke the last word, and he cleared his throat, busying himself with putting his shoes away. “B-but, uh, should ya really be traipsin’ around uncovered like that when you're sharin' a room with yer boss? When're the boy and the pup s’posed ta get back?”

“Karol had a certain constellation he wanted to see that won't be fully visible until after midnight, so he’ll be a while yet. And Repede is leaving with the honeymooners- didn't you know that?”

Raven had set his shoes with his belongings and retrieved his nightclothes, pausing momentarily to answer Judith’s question.

“I thought that was a joke. Bringin' a dog to a honeymoon?”

Judith slipped into her short silk nightgown, gently placing the bridesmaid dress into the wardrobe for safekeeping. “Oh no, Yuri was quite serious. He said that if they left Repede behind, he'd find a way to follow along regardless. They might as well take him to ensure his safety along the trip. Yumanju is an awfully long way from here.”

“That's somethin’ else I don't get.” Raven finished unbuttoning his shirt and slipped out of it, sitting on the edge of the bed as he folded it to pack away with the rest of the laundry. “How come they're goin’ off ta some fancy place for a honeymoon? I don't see the point in stayin’ at an expensive resort if you're just gonna spend the entire time bangin’ it out in yer room.”

Judith laughed, sitting down next to him with her legs curled up beneath her. “But there's something exciting about having sex in a bed that isn't yours.”

“...yeah, guess I hadn't thought’a it that way. Bein’ in an unfamiliar place could make that newlywed lust even spicier.”

“Speaking of spice-”

She leaned in for a kiss, one hand slipping into his hair to pull it loose and the other slowly tracing the outline of his blastia against his chest. Her kisses wandered up his cheek toward his ear, and she stopped once she was close enough to whisper.

“-shall we take advantage of a bed that isn't ours as well?”

Raven’s hand wandered to Judith’s waist, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric while he leaned into her touch. “What about Karol? He’ll be back soon.”

“Not until after midnight. We have a full hour.” Judith’s hand moved up to massage Raven’s shoulder. “Want to see how many rounds we can get in before that-?”

“Judith. Judith please.”

Raven put a gentle hand between her face and his, giving her a push away before she could nibble at his earlobe. She pulled her hands back, shifting to give him some space. “Is something wrong?”

“I… I'm sorry…” Raven blushed and looked away. “I think I'm too drunk fer this. I just… my head’s all fuzzy and I really just gotta sleep it off.”

Judith’s posture relaxed and her smile returned. “That's alright. Do you still want to cuddle? Maybe talk about it?”

“That'd be nice. Er, the cuddlin’ part, I mean. I don't think you wanna hear the kinda nonsense that goes through an old man’s head.”

Judith slid off the end of the bed and moved around to the side, pulling the blankets back and preparing the pillows. “I'd like to hear the nonsense that goes through  _ your  _ head,” she offered. “If you don't mind.”

By the time Raven finished shedding his formal trousers and replacing them with his sleepwear, Judith had made herself comfortable and prepared a spot for him next to her. He slipped under the blanket, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and intertwining their legs. She let out a sigh as she melted into his embrace, her own arms snaking around his waist and her head pressed against his shoulder.

“...does this  _ overthinking  _ you mentioned have something to do with why you were crying earlier?” 

“Aw, you know I'm an emotional crier, darlin'.”

“I know. That's not what I asked.”

She was good at seeing through his facade, that was for sure. Raven should’ve known that by now.

“It ain’t like I've never been ta weddings before. Altosk members get married all the time. But this is the first wedding I've been to since you'n I… yanno…  _ got serious _ .”

“That's true. Are you saying that, when Flynn and Yuri were exchanging their vows, you saw  _ us  _ at that altar?”

“N-nothin’ quite that drastic.” Raven shifted uncomfortably, and felt Judith lift her arm off of his waist until he was settled again. “It just got me thinkin’ about the concept’a commitment. Of forever. I've lived so many lifetimes, I ain’t ever really thought about forever. An’ realizing that I could actually have it, much less have it with  _ you _ , I just couldn't help myself. It broke me. My poor brain doesn't know how ta handle bein’ so happy.”

Judith giggled, but quickly tried to hide it behind a fake pout. “Now, what are we going to do with you? A little bit of happiness and you break? That's no good.”

“There ain’t no  _ little bit  _ about it. I get  _ a little bit  _ of happiness when we have salmon fer dinner. When that good whisky is on sale. When the pup sits next ta me on the sofa unprompted. That's a  _ little bit  _ ‘a happiness.” He lifted a hand from her shoulder and stroked his fingers against her cheek. “But bein’ with you? That’s a whole 'nother ballpark, baby.”

She leaned into his touch. “Am I that special?”

“Every bit that special an’ then some. You make me the happiest man alive or dead.”

“Alive. Preferably.” Judith leaned in to kiss him, a simple, chaste kiss, but a slow one that lingered for longer than expected. When she finally pulled away, Raven was awestruck enough for her to continue speaking as though she hadn't stopped. “I get it, though. When you lose everyone you love at a young age, you also lose a sort of… emotional object permanence. It's taken me years to accept that Brave Vesperia is truly my home, my  _ family _ . I couldn't conceptualize that kind of love at first.”

“Just like me.”

“Just like you.”

They went silent, both considering what they’d said. The two of them were no strangers to showing each other vulnerability- it was what had drawn them together, opening up to one another about their experiences during the war. But they’d always talked to each other about the past. Never about the future.

“It’s hard ta conceptualize,” Raven finally spoke up again, his voice barely above a whisper, “but I want to. I wanna be able to look to the future, both with the guild and with you. I wanna be able to point ta you and say ‘I’m gonna dedicate the rest’a my life ta that woman.”

Judith hummed in amusement, propping herself up on her elbow so she could look down at him. “Why, Raven Altosk-Vesperia, are you  _ proposing _ to me?”

“Huh?!” Raven shot up to a sitting position himself. “Well, no, but… I can!”

“I wouldn't advise it. If you ask me now, I’ll have to decline.” Judith lowered herself back to the pillow with a laugh. “You’re drunk, after all. I can only accept a sober proposal.”

“...oh, yeah.” Raven fell backward against his own pillow and put his hands over his eyes. “I forgot about that.”

Judith laughed again, and Raven moved his fingers to peek out between them.

“But wait. Are you sayin’ that you’d say yes if I ask when I’m sober?”

“I would.”

“Then, if I ask tomorrow after I sober up…?”

“Yes, of course.” A smile played across her face as she added “if you remember, of course.”

“Ya think I’d black out an’ forget a thing like this? Judith, I…”

He choked on his words, and Judith reached over to pull his hands from his face. She traced her fingers against his cheek, and he could feel her watching him as he sniffled and pinched his eyes closed.

“You said you’re an emotional crier,” she whispered, keeping her hand still against his cheek. “Is this a happy emotion or a sad emotion?”

Raven took a deep breath to steady himself. “Would I sound stupid if I said I didn’t know?”

“No. On the contrary, you would sound quite wise, understanding that emotions are never so easily definable.”

“An’ would I still sound wise if I just let loose and cried it out?”

Judith was quiet for a moment.

“...yes,” she murmured finally. “Wiser than I am. I still can’t allow myself, but perhaps, if I let you cry enough for both of us, it’ll make me feel better too.”

That brought a smile to Raven’s face, even through the tears that stung the corners of his eyes.

“I’ll do my best.”

And he did. 

* * *

When Raven woke the next morning, he found the room empty except himself. Judith’s side of the bed was left haphazard, while Karol’s bed was roughly made, but still clearly slept-in. Raven groaned and pulled himself from bed, ducking into the washroom to clean up and get dressed. As he washed his face, he looked into the mirror and noticed the reddish tint in the wrinkles around his eyes. It was a feature he only saw when he’d cried himself to sleep the night before, something he hadn’t done in years… until now. He shoved the wet cloth over his eyes again, letting out a sigh against the fabric.

As he set the cloth aside, he heard the door open and peeked his head back into the main room. “G’morning,” he called, and his expression lit up as he caught sight of Judith in the doorway. “Now there’s my beautiful goddess! I was ‘fraid you’d gone an’ ditched me after I got all serious on ya last night.”

Judith giggled and held up the mug she was carrying. “That had better be a joke. I brought you some coffee, but if you think so low of me, you obviously don’t want it.”

“A’course I’m just jokin’! Gotta breach that subject with somethin’ lighthearted, right?” He closed the distance between them and winked at her as he reached for the mug. “Don’t wanna turn me into a crybaby again before I sober up.”

She let him grab the mug, but didn’t let him take it, retaining her grip on it as well. “You do look good for someone who, by all accounts, should have a nasty hangover right now.”

“Oh! Uh…” Raven felt his face flush. He let go of the mug so that he could clutch at his head. “I am, I am! Seein’ you made me so happy, it just distracted me from my splittin’ headache!”

“Yes. That’s quite clear.” Judith finally handed the mug over to him, and continued to eye him critically as he took the first few gulps. “Should I return to the breakfast room to check on Karol?”

Raven swallowed down another gulp, enjoying the taste and the warmth it spread through his body. “Somethin’ wrong with him?”

“No, he’s as chipper as ever. But if you got drunk off the juice at the kids’ table, there’s no telling what might have been in it.”

Raven froze, the mug held to his lips. He stared at Judith, trying to assess how serious she was. She looked back at him with a sly smile, and he lowered the mug again. “...so you knew…?”

“Knew what? That you secretly filled your champagne glass with Karol’s apple juice? That the smell of alcohol was coming from your shirt and not your breath?” She crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow at him. “Don’t look so shocked. I know how you act when you’re drunk. I know the difference between emotional drunk and just plain emotional.”

She was still smiling, but it was spoken as an accusation. Raven lowered the mug.

“...why didn’t ya call me out for lyin’ to you last night?”

“I didn’t need to. You weren’t lying.” Her smile softened. “At least, not about the important things.”

“I just thought, y’know, it’d be weird fer everybody at the party ta see a grown man cryin’ while he’s totally sober. And if I actually did get drunk, I wouldn’t be able ta process everything that was goin’ through my head during the ceremony. But it…” He looked down at the surface of his coffee. “...it wasn’t right fer me ta keep up the act once we were behind closed doors.”

“No, it wasn’t. You do yourself a disservice, not allowing yourself to express your feelings.” Judith reached out again, placing one hand against his over the mug, and the other against his chin to tilt his head back up. “Did you think you  _ had _ to be drunk to be vulnerable with me? If that’s the case, I’m far more offended by that than by a simple lie.”

“I’m sorry.”

The two stayed quiet for a long, tense moment. Judith pulled her hand away from his chin and stepped back. 

“To be fair, I held out on you last night as well. If you promise that someday you can be vulnerable with me without pretense, then… I’ll promise that someday I can cry in front of you. Is that fair?”

“Wha-?” Raven began. “You don’t hafta-!”

“I do.”

Silence again. Raven closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Listen, Judith… I had somethin’ I was plannin’ ta ask ya this morning, but now it seems a little premature. How about, when the two’a us can cry together with no shame, then I’ll ask?”

Judith’s eyes lit up.

“Are you sure? That could take forever.”

“Then that just means I’ll get ta stay with you forever while we work on it. So it’s all the same in the end.”

“I suppose it is.” Judith leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “So now that you’ve sobered up from your hangover, shall we go join Karol for breakfast? If we don’t go soon, he might eat it all without us.”

Raven let out a laugh and motioned to the door. “I wouldn’t begrudge a growin’ boy that, but I  _ would _ like ta at least get a piece of toast. Will ya lead the way, darlin’?”

“I’d be glad to.”

As the two of them exited the room and closed the door behind them, the door to the adjoining room opened as well, revealing a bickering pair that shuffled out into the hallway seemingly unaware of anything going on around them.

“But if we stop for breakfast, we’ll be late, and Leblanc will ask-!” “And I say that we’ll then have breakfast as an excuse!” “We won’t need an excuse if we’re on time!” “We are already late as it is, I say-!”

“ _ Boys! _ ” Raven called, waving with such enthusiasm that a few drops of coffee sloshed out of his mug. “What are y’all doin’ here? Don’t you have some cushy beds back at the barracks?”

Adecor and Boccos went stiff, turning slowly to look at Raven. The color drained from their faces as they waved back.

“Ah, C-Captain…” Boccos stammered. “We, er… um…”

“I say, this isn’t-!” Adecor frantically waved his hands. “I mean-! W-we just-!”

Boccos broke in, pushing in front of Adecor. “We have a patrol in the Lower Quarter this morning, and were here so late that we decided it would be easiest if we just… stayed… just to get some sleep before working… you know we don’t want to patrol while impaired with sleep deprivation…”

Raven fought back a laugh. “Well, don’t let me delay ya! Work hard, alright?”

“ _ Y-yes sir! _ ” “ _ Yes, Captain! _ ”

Raven and Judith stood, watching them scramble down the stairs and take off around the corner of the inn. Once he was sure the two were gone, Raven allowed himself to laugh, and he heard Judith giggling too.

“Those two, hm?”

“And god _ damn _ , is it about time! Who knew it’d take  _ Yuri  _ gettin’ married ta knock some sense into ‘em?”

Judith nudged him playfully. “It seems the Lowell-Scifo wedding gave attendees a lot to think about.”

“I’ll have’ta thank Yuri when he gets home.”

“For our sake?” Judith asked, pointing down the steps where the knights had run off. “Or for theirs?”

“Both,” Raven replied, throwing an arm around Judith’s shoulder. “Though, I’ll just tell him thanks from us. He probably doesn’t wanna know ‘bout the latter.”

“What, you don’t think he’ll be happy for them?”

Judith stared at him and he stared back for a moment before the two burst into laughter. They were probably both picturing the same look of disgust on Yuri’s face, and it was too funny not to laugh at.

If laughing together was a step toward crying together, they were making progress already.


End file.
